Switch brace and rerailer



111m 9, 1936. z AN N 72,043,645

SWITCH BRACE AND RERAILER Filed Oct. 18, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORJune 9, ww. D. z. ANGLIN SWITCH BRACE' AND RERAILER Filed Oct. 18, 19322 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented June 9, 1936 UNETED STATES PATENTOFFICE This invention relates to a device which is used in connectionwith switches on railroad, mine and industrial tracks. The device formsa substantial support for the loose ends of the rails on which theswitch points pivot. It also actsas a rerailing device for rerailing anycars which are derailed as they approach the switch, thus preventing thewedging action which would be caused by hauling such derailed carsthrough the switch, forcing the parts of the switch out of their properpositions and perhaps injuring them. The device also serves to prevent aperson or animal from getting their feet wedged in the narrow spacesbetween the converging rails which often results in serious injuries.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the present preferredembodiment of my invention,

Figure l is a plan view of a common system of rails and switch, havingmy brace andrerailer applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the brace and. rerailer; v

Figure 3 is a section on the line III--III of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV'of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the accompanylng drawings, and for thepresent especially to Figure 1, there is shown a common form of switchand system of rails including main rails 2 and 3 and switch rails 4 and5. Switch points 6 and I which are operated through a tie bar 8 areprovided for switching the cars from one set of rails to the other. Theswitch points 6 and I are pivotally connected at their right-hand endsby splice plates 9 to the ends of filler rails I0 and I I, respectively.The opposite ends of the filler rails I0 and II are connected to a frogI2, the construction thus far described being of a form knownheretofore.

A rail brace and rerailer I3, which hereinafter will be described simplyas a rerailer, is secured to the rails near each of the points ofconvergence of the rails 2 and I0 and the rails 5 and I I. The reraileris illustrated in detail in Figures 2, 3 and 4. It is of general wedgeshape in plan view, the end I4 being wider than the end I5. Incrosssection its shape is such that its sides I6 and top portions I1 andI8 conform to the shape of the rails. The rerailer is provided withholes I9 through which bolts 20 may extend and be fastened by nuts 2| inorder to secure the parts together and form a rigid support for theloose ends of the filler rails I0 and. II. The rerailer is provided withcavities 22 on its underside inorder to decrease its weight. It may bemade of steel, cast. iron or other material by any suitable process suchas casting, forging or pressing.

The top surface 24 of the rerailer terminates adjacent the wide endthereof in an inclined plane 25. ,The inclined plane does not extend thefull width of the rerailer, but occupies only a part of the Width,leaving the portions I1. and I8 which bear against the undersides of thetop flanges of the rails 5 and II and 2 and Ill. f

The surface 24 is at such an elevation relative to the rails 5 and IIthat when the flange of a wheel which supports the car rests against it,the tread of the wheel lies in a plane above the rails. This is shown inFigures 3 and 4- in chain lines wherein the flange 26'of' a wheel 21rests on the surface 24. When in this position, the tread 28 extendsover, but is spaced above, the top of the rail.

The rerailer is also providedwith a longitudinal groove 29 which extendsat an angle to the longitudinal axis of the rerailer. The groove isparallel to the side I6 and, therefore, when the rerailer is placed inthe position shown in Figure 1, the groove will extend substantiallyparallel to the rail 5 or the rail 2 according to the position of thererailer. This groove preferably extends from the narrow end of thererailer and terminates in the inclined plane 25.

In the operation of the rerailer, it is assumed that the axle 30 andwheels 21 forming a part of the truck which supports the car are movingin the direction indicated by the arrow, that is, toward the switchpoints 6 and I, and that the wheels have been derailed. When the wheelsreach the rerailer I3, the flanges 26 will ride up the inclined planeonto the surface 24. By reference to Figures 3 and 4 it is seen thatwhen the flanges of the wheels rest on the surface 24, the treads 28 ofthe wheels lie above the rails. As the wheels continue to move forward,the flange 26 on the wheel 21 which is between the rails 5 and II, bearsagainst the outer side of rail II and is guided thereby. The flangemoves closer and closer to the groove 29 due to the fact that the grooveis not parallel to rail II', but, on the contrary, approaches the rail II as it extends toward the switch. When the flange and the groovecoincide, the flange drops down into the groove. The groove is deepenough so that when the flange is received in it, the tread 23 of thewheel is supported by the rail 5 and there is no contact between theflange and the groove.

The position of the wheel is shown in Figures 3 and 4 by dotted linesafter it has been rerailed. The wheels then continue to move forwardtoward the switch points 6 and I. The passage of the wheels between theswitch points and the rails is accomplished automatically in switches ofthe type having a spring in the tie bar 8. In other types of switches itcan be accomplished manually by permitting the switch throw mechanism tobe thrown to an approximate halfway position.

The rera-iler acts not only to rerail cars which have been derailed inapproaching the switch, but also forms an excellent brace for the ends;of the loose or filler rails I0 and [I by providing. a solid means forattaching and bracing these rails to the solid through rails 2' and 5.This is an important advantage of my retailer since in ordinary switchconstruction it is a very diflicult matter to securely fasten the endsof the filler rails. The rerailer fills the space between convergingrails to such an extent tl'rat there is no possibility of wedging thefeet of a person or animal between them. 'The rerailers' aid in theinstallation of switchesby establishing the proper positionandiangularity of the converging'rails. They maintain switch alinement,particularly by bracing the loose ends of the filler rails which are theweakest. points of any switch. They prevent the damage which would becaused by pulling derailed cars through the switch, thus. wedging theconverging rails out of position. The majority of derailments occur ata. point inside of. the. switch, and since the rerailiers are located.as indicated,. the. rerailing of the cars is quickly accomplished.Theycan be made for switches of either right-hand; or. left-hand. throwand; can be adapted. by suitablechanges to special varieties. ofswitches, suchas are. sometimes known as split switches commonly used onlight industrial and mining; tracks. The, retailers. can

be changed in shape and size to conform to the particular switch andrails, but should be long enough and wide enough so as to prevent anywedging tendency of the derailed wheels.

I have illustrated and described the present preferred embodiment of myinvention. It is to be understood, however, that the invention may beotherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

deflect thewheel to either side as the wheel rides upthe slope;

2. A rerail'er adapted to be secured between converging rails adjacent aswitch and comprising a'bod'y having a top surface on which a wheelflange rests during rerailing, said surface lying. at suflicientdistance below the tops of the rails that when a; wheel flange reststhereon the wheel tread is slightly above the tops of the rails,

saidfbo'dy narrowing from a; wider end in conformity with theconvergence of the rails, the wider end sloping to. carry upwardly aderailed wheel and having substantially no lateral slope tending. to.deflect the wheel to either side as the Wheel rides up' the slope, saidbody having a groove adjacent the outside rail of the switch forreceiving a wheel flange of a rerailed wheel when.v the wheel. tread.rests on the rail.

DAVID Z. ANGLIN.

